different between officious vs pragmatical

English

Etymology

16th century, from Latin offici?sus (“kindly”), from officium (“service”).

Pronunciation

• Rhymes: -???s

Adjective

officious (comparative more officious, superlative most officious)

1. (obsolete) Obliging, attentive, eager to please.
2. Offensively intrusive or interfering in offering advice and services.

Usage notes

Readers guessing the meaning of the word officious from context have sometimes guessed that it referred to the excessive bureaucratic formality of officialdom, but its connection to office, official, and the Latin officium (“service”) is with the kindly and solicitous aspect thereof rather than with the bureaucratic chill. Thus officious is not to be confused with punctilious.

Derived terms

Related terms

Translations

English

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /p?æ??mæt?k?l/

Adjective

pragmatical (comparative more pragmatical, superlative most pragmatical)

1. pragmatic; practical; businesslike
   • 1846, Julius Hare, The Mission of the Comforter

     Low, pragmatical, earthly views of the gospel.

2. (law) Relating to affairs of state.
3. (obsolete) officious; fussy; meddlesome
   • 1712, John Arbuthnot, The History of John Bull

     He grew so pragmatical that he took upon him the Government of my whole Family.